Connecting element comprising a housing for telecommunications and/or data cables

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a connecting element ( 1 ) having a housing, with attachment means for attachment of the housing to a mounting rail ( 4 ) being arranged on the lower face of the housing, and with at least one connection for telecommunications and/or data cables being arranged in the housing, in which case the housing is formed in at least two parts and comprises an upper part ( 2 ) and a lower part ( 3 ) which are latched to one another, with the attachment means for the mounting rail ( 4 ) being arranged on the lower part ( 3 ) and the upper part ( 2 ) having at least one holder ( 23 ) for the connection ( 34 ) with the lower part ( 3 ) being formed with at least one bearing and the upper part ( 2 ) being formed with a corresponding bearing holder via which the upper part ( 2 ) is attached to the lower part ( 3 ) such that it can pivot.

The invention relates to a connecting element having a housing fortelecommunications and/or data cables, as claimed in the preamble ofclaim 1.

A connecting element of this generic type is already known from DE 202005 004 927 U1. The connecting elements are in this case normallysnapped onto the mounting rail, which is generally in the form of atop-hat rail, directly alongside one another. In this case, handling bya fitter is extremely difficult because the packing density is as highas possible.

The invention is thus based on the technical problem of providing aconnecting element which allows more user-friendly installation.

The technical problem is solved by the subject matter having thefeatures of claim 1. Further advantageous refinements of the inventionare specified in the dependent claims.

For this purpose, the housing is formed in at least two parts andcomprises an upper part and a lower part, which are latched to oneanother, with the attachment means for the mounting rail being arrangedon the lower part. The upper part has at least one holder for the atleast one connection, with the lower part being formed with at least onebearing and the upper part being formed with a corresponding bearingholder, via which the upper part is attached to the lower part such thatit can pivot. This makes it possible, first of all, for the lower partto be initially mounted on the mounting rail, and to be left on themounting rail for disassembly. The upper part can then be fitted withthe connection, and one or more cables can be connected to theconnection. The upper part that has been prefabricated in this way canthen be pushed on at an acute angle from above, so that the bearingholders snap onto the bearings. During this process, the upper part islocated on a free plane, thus providing maximum handling freedom. Forattachment, the upper part can be pivoted downwards until the upper partand the lower part latch. During disassembly, the latch is released in acorresponding manner, and the upper part is pivoted out. In this case,it is possible in particular to provide for the bearing holder to slideout of the bearing at a specific angle, in order to make it easier toremove the upper part. The connection is preferably in the form of aplug socket, and furthermore preferably in the form of RJ45 socket.

In one preferred embodiment the bearings are in the form of twocylindrical pins which are arranged on the outer sidewalls of the lowerpart.

In a further preferred embodiment, the cylindrical pins are chamfered.This on the one hand makes it easier to push on the upper part, and toslide down the bearing holder while being pivoted up.

In a further preferred embodiment, the bearing holder is in the form ofa lug with holes. This can be produced easily and ensures that thepivoting mechanism is sufficiently robust.

In a further preferred embodiment, at least two connections are arrangedin the housing, are arranged parallel to one another and are alignedinclined with respect to the upper face of the upper part. In this case,the expression parallel means that the inlet surfaces of the connectionsform parallel planes. The inclined alignment allows the plug to beinserted conveniently at an angle from underneath, with the plugs notbeing impeded by the parallel offset.

In a further preferred embodiment, an electrically conductive groundtrough is arranged in the lower part, by means of whose shieldingelements the connections can be electrically connected to the mountingrail. The ground trough is in this case preferably a separate part,which is plugged into the lower part. The material used may be eithermetal or a metallized plastic.

Furthermore, the ground trough preferably has an essentially U-shapedcross section with lugs, which are cut out of the base plate and arebent outwards and lugs which are aligned upwards being arranged on thelimb. In this case, the lugs which are bent out of the base plate areused to make contact with the mounting rail while, in contrast, the lugswhich are directed upwards are used to make contact with shieldingelements of the connections, for example with electrically conductiveshield attachments.

In a further preferred embodiment, the connections each have anassociated dust protective flap which can pivot and can be latched andis closed when no plug is inserted, thus preventing the ingress of dustand other foreign particles.

In one preferred embodiment, the dust protective flap has a curvedelement, which is arranged on the flap. The flap can then easily beopened by engaging in the curved element. In this case, it should benoted that the dust protective flap can also be used for other plugconnectors, irrespective of the embodiment of the connecting element.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the following textwith reference to one preferred exemplary embodiment. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a lower part latched onto atop-hat rail, and of a removed upper part;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of the lower part, with theground trough removed;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of the connecting element in theunlatched position;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration in the latched position, and

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from underneath of the connectingelement without the top-hat rail.

FIG. 1 illustrates the connecting element 1, comprising an upper part 2and a lower part 3, with the lower part being latched onto a mountingrail 4 which is in the form of a top-hat rail. Two cylindrical pins 6,which are chamfered, are arranged in the upper area of the lower part 3,on the sidewalls 5. The chamfer is in this case designed such that itmerges into a front flattened area 7, with the rear part of the pin 6projecting beyond a rear area 8. A ground trough 9 is latched in thelower part 3. The precise shape of the ground trough 9 can be seenparticularly clearly in FIG. 2. The ground trough 9 has an essentiallyU-shaped cross section. For this purpose, the ground trough 9 comprisesa base plate 10 as well as two limbs 11. Lugs 12 which are directedupwards are formed on the limbs 11 and are used to make contact withshielding elements of the connections. A further lug 13 in each caseextends approximately centrally from the limbs 11, is somewhat shorterthan the lugs 12 and is used primarily for resting on and making contactwith the lower part 3. In the assembled state, the upper, angled areas14 of the lugs 12 project beyond the upper edge 15 of the lower part.Furthermore, two lugs 16 which are curved in the direction outwards inthe direction of the mounting rail 4 are cut free from the base plate 10and make contact with the mounting rail 4 when latched onto it.Furthermore, two cable guides 17 for the cables which are to beconnected to the connections can be seen in the upper area of the lowerpart 3.

In the upper area, the upper part 2 has two lugs 18, which each have ahole 19. The lug 18 with the hole 19 is in this case used as a bearingholder for the pin 6. The chamfer on the pin 6 allows the lug 18 toslide easily over the pin 6 until it snaps into the hole 19. The upperpart 2 can then be pivoted downwards until a latching element 20 on theupper part 2 snaps into a latching holder 21 in the lower part 3. Theupper part 2 also has two inscription fields, which are each covered bytransparent covers 22, which can preferably pivot, in order to protectthem against dirt and moisture. The upper part 2 also has two holders 23for connections, with the connections not yet having been inserted inFIG. 1. The connections are preferably in the form of shielded, RJ45sockets, and in this case reference should be made to WO 02/15339 A1 fora preferred embodiment, in which an RJ45 socket such as this withshielding elements for connection of a cable shield is described.

The holders 23 for the connections are formed with a dust protectiveflap 24 which can pivot and can be latched, with a curved element 25being arranged on the dust protective flap 24. The end face 26 of thecurved element 25 extends to the end face 27 of the dust protective flap24. Two sidewalls 28 are adjacent to the curved element 25 and each havea latching element 29 arranged on them, which can latch into a latchingholder 30 in the holder 23. In order to ensure an adequate spring effectfor the latching elements 29, the sidewalls 28 are not connected to thedust protective flap 24 in the area of the latching elements 29, but areseparated by a slot 31 (see in particular FIGS. 4 and 5). Pins via whichthe dust protective flap 24 can be latched in on the upper part 2 suchthat it can pivot are arranged at the side on the dust protective flap,on the face opposite the curved element 25.

FIG. 3 now shows the connecting element 1 shortly before the latchingelement 20 has been snapped into the latching holder 21 (see FIG. 2),which cannot be seen, in the lower part 3. In this case, the angled area14 of the lug 12 can be seen, which makes contact with a shieldingelement 32 of the connection in the latched-in state. FIG. 4 also showsthe position of a cable 33 in the cable guide 17 in the assembled state,as well as the connection 34 inserted in the holder.

FIG. 5 shows the attachment means for mounting the lower part 3 on themounting rail, which is the form of a top-hat rail. For this purpose,the lower part 3 has a first latching hook 35 and a second latching hook36. In this case, the lower part 3 is inserted with the first latchinghook 35 into the top-hat rail, and is then pushed down, with the lowerpart 3 being pressed along the incline 37 onto the top-hat rail untilthe edge of the top-hat rail slides into the groove 38. For removal, adisassembly web 39 is then bent by means of a tool until the edge of thetop-hat rail slides out of the groove 38. A bracket 40 for unlatchingthe latching element 20 can also be seen.

For installation, the cores of the cable 33 are now connected to theconnection or connections 34, which is or are latched into the holder 23in the upper part 2 from the rear. The upper part is then hooked intothe lower part over the pins 6, the cables 33 are passed upwards throughthe cable guides 17, and the upper part 2 is pivoted downwards. In thiscase, finally, it should be noted that the two holders 23 are arrangedone above the other, on parallel offset planes. In this case, it ispossible to accommodate two connections between the typical separationsof the mounting rail 4. The planes are in this case arranged inclinedwith respect to the upper face 41 (see FIG. 4) of the upper part 2, sothat the plugs to be connected to the connection 34 are connectedobliquely from underneath.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   -   1 Connecting element    -   2 Upper part    -   3 Lower part    -   4 Mounting rail    -   5 Sidewall    -   6 Pin    -   7 Front area    -   8 Rear area    -   9 Ground trough    -   10 Base plate    -   11 Limb    -   12 Lugs    -   13 Lug    -   14 Angled area    -   15 Upper edge    -   16 Curved lug    -   17 Cable guide    -   18 Two lugs    -   19 Hole    -   20 Latching element    -   21 Latching holder    -   22 Cover    -   23 Holder    -   24 Dust protective flap    -   25 Curved element    -   26 End face    -   27 End face    -   28 Sidewall    -   29 Latching element    -   30 Latching holder    -   31 Slot    -   32 Shielding element    -   33 Cable    -   34 Connection    -   35 First latching hook    -   36 Second latching hook    -   37 Incline    -   38 Groove    -   39 Disassembly web    -   40 Bracket    -   41 Upper face

1) A connecting element having a housing, with attachment means forattachment of the housing to a mounting rail being arranged on the lowerface of the housing, and with at least one connection fortelecommunications and/or data cables being arranged in the housing,wherein the housing is formed in at least two parts and comprises anupper part and a lower part which are latched to one another, with theattachment means for the mounting rail being arranged on the lower partand the upper part having at least one holder for the connection withthe lower part being formed with at least one bearing and the upper partbeing formed with a corresponding bearing holder via which the upperpart is attached to the lower part such that it can pivot. 2) Theconnection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least onebearing is in the form of two cylindrical pins which are arranged on theouter sidewalls of the lower part. 3) The connecting element as claimedin claim 2, wherein the cylindrical pins are chamfered. 4) Theconnecting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing holder isin the form of a lug with a hole. 5) The connecting element as claimedin claim 1, wherein at least two connections are arranged in thehousing, are arranged parallel to one another, and are aligned obliquelywith respect to the upper face of the upper part. 6) The connectingelement as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electrically conductive groundtrough is arranged in the lower part, wherein a shielding element of theat least one connection can be electrically connected to the mountingrail. 7) The connecting element as claimed in claim 6, wherein theground trough has a U-shaped cross section with lugs, which are cut outof the base plate and are bent outwards and lugs which are alignedupwards being arranged on a limb. 8) The connecting element as claimedin claim 1, wherein the at least one connection has an associated dustprotective flap which can be pivoted and can be initially latched. 9)The connecting element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the dustprotective flap has a curved element which is arranged on the flap. 10)The connecting element as claimed in claim 9, wherein sidewalls arearranged on the curved element and are separated from the dustprotective flap by a slot.